"They did lots of tests, did it all really quickly, operated quickly. Whereas when I went to the GP feeling really, really ill, I felt, not fobbed off, but as though they weren't really taking me seriously."

Flood was eventually diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2010 at the age of 24, two years after she spotted the warning signs. She underwent successful treatment and hopes to receive the all-clear in her upcoming five year scan.

Unfortunately, Flood's story isn't unique. According to a recent survey of patients under the age of 50 from Bowel Cancer UK, one in five people had to see their GP five times or more before being referred to a specialist.

One in four people surveyed felt ignored by their GP, while half of younger patients were not offered genetic testing for them or their families.

Awareness about bowel cancer among people under the age of 50 was also shown to be lacking. Four out of five people in this age category were not aware that they could be at risk of bowel cancer at their age.